Registered Nurse First Assistant

The registered nurse first assistant (RNFA) is a perioperative registered nurse who functions in an expanded role, working in collaboration with the surgeon and health care team members to achieve optimal patient outcomes. Intraoperatively, the RNFA practices at the direction of the surgeon and does not concurrently function as a scrub nurse.

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Advocacy


Resources


Resources for Government Agencies

Position Statements

  • AORN's Position Statement on RN First Assistants (PDF)
  • AORN's Position Statement on Advanced Practice Registered Nurses in the Perioperative Environment (PDF)

AORN's Education Standards for RNFA Programs (PDF)